LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Home Secretary, James Cleverly, is visiting Italy as part of the U.K. government’s efforts to crack down on migrants arriving by small boats.
Cleverly will meet his Italian counterpart, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, and discuss how Italy and Britain can expand their joint work to stop migrants in north Africa from making often perilous journeys across the Mediterranean Sea, officials said Tuesday.
Cleverly will also visit Lampedusa, the southernmost island of Italy which receives the majority of migrants arriving in the country. In September, some 7,000 people arrived from Tunisia on the tiny island in a span of roughly 24 hours, overwhelming the local migrant reception center.
The visit comes as British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stepped up his calls for the U.K. Parliament to approve his plan to deport some asylum-seekers to Rwanda.
Is Hayley Atwell pregnant? Tom Cruise's ex, 42, cradles her tummy during romantic Venetian mini
ITTF World Cup Macao 2024 kicks off
CBA: Beijing, Shanghai to face decisive G3
'Classless' fan heckles at wrestler Jordan Burrough at US Olympic trials
China issues reform, development guidelines for youth football
ITTF World Cup Macao 2024 kicks off
Biden is marking Earth Day by announcing $7 billion in federal solar power grants
Liu refreshes men's 102kg world records at IWF World Cup
Tibetans say compensation for Chinese land grab is too low — Radio Free Asia
Bayern in unrest ahead of Arsenal clash